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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29091570">Awaken</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SanguineStoryteller/pseuds/SanguineStoryteller'>SanguineStoryteller</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Vampire: The Masquerade, World of Darkness (Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:14:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29091570</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SanguineStoryteller/pseuds/SanguineStoryteller</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A young art student is intercepted by a chaotic force of chance and calculation, losing her life in the process. But her unlife is only beginning, and she becomes a target in a hidden world of politics and intrigue.<br/>This fanfiction is set in the fictional town of Ashland, Virginia using the themes of the World of Darkness tabletop games: Vampire the Masquerade.  While there are currently no established characters yet, I may introduce some into the plot later on.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Awaken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1"><span class="s1">“I’m going to be frank with you because no one else will.” The voice came from my left. I was in bed but the sound awoke me. “The fact of the matter is that we’ve been played, in a way.” A strange panic began to wash over me. The bed was familiar but it wasn’t my own. I couldn’t tell if it were day or night; I didn’t know the day of the week... or what month it was... </span><span class="s1">“Natalia proved stronger than I imagined” a pain seared through my temples and though I tried to cry out my body didn’t move. “I’ve lost a week to her but you...” Her voice lowered, making it even harder to parse through her smokey English accent. “You’ve lost your whole life.” I tried to open my eyes but everything looked like an out of focus photograph, creased and greyscale. </span><em><span class="s2">What a strange thing to say</span></em><span class="s1"> I thought.<br/>
</span>     “I’m not dead,” but my voice didn’t sound the same; it didn’t feel the same either. A lack of vibration in my throat produced a tone that felt more like the sound a bell makes when you move rather than strike it.<br/>
    “You poor thing,” and the shadowed figure to my left stood to leave. I could hear her call out, “She’s awake!” Before I was alone.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">     I was left alone in my bed. </span> <em> <span class="s2">My</span> </em> <span class="s1"> bed? I blinked, trying to clear my vision and wipe the sleep from my eyes. It was no good. The grays gained a tinge of color and I could place my bed in the middle of a bedroom draped in curtains. A horrific song was playing all around me; a choir of unnatural tones that made my skin crawl and was uncomfortably beautiful. Again the terrible ache throbbed through my head and I cried out. I sounded like a sick animal, and I felt very afraid. I began to panic, but my body wouldn’t react and all I could do was sit. While I felt stiff as I leaned up in the bed I also felt oddly refreshed. I could smell Peach, Rosemary, and Mint. The room was perfumed and so was my hair. It fell over my shoulder in a neat braid with pale green velvet ribbon tied at the tail.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">“I knew you preferred the pink one,” a musical voice called from the door. I didn’t need my vision to instantly know it was her: Natalia. </span>A flash of memory took me to the night before. I saw my reflection in the vanity mirror, before me laid a display of ribbons in pink, blue, and green. Behind me a woman was brushing my hair and singing to me. She was beyond beauty. Her reddish colored curls were pulled back in pearls and cascaded over her honey colored skin. She wore no jewelry and her clavicle and bosom were on full display. She wore a historical costume of cream and ivory silks with corset and bustle, making her appear as if she had walked right out of a palace noble’s portrait.<br/>
    I was shaken back to reality as a hand took mine and placed in it a stemmed glass. “Drink,” she said, still holding my hand. “It’ll make you feel better.” And I believed her. It became apparent to me how absolutely thirsty that I was, and I lifted the glass to my dry mouth without a second thought. Immediately it hit me, an erotic warmth that spread from my mouth down my throat and settled uncomfortably between my legs. The music faded for just a moment offering me peace. Fingers and toes now tingling I gulped the thick liquid with enthusiasm until the sensation to gasp for breath choked me up. “There there,” she said in a comforting voice, “You’ve awoken more perfect than I could have imagined,” and she took the emptied glass from me. “So,” and she stood from the bed, “shall we begin your new chapter in green, as planned?”</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Finally awake I took in the room. It too, was a carbon copy of traditional styling. To my left was a plush sitting chair, a dressing screen with an armoire partially hidden behind. At the foot of my bed stood a fireplace, lit and shielded by decorative glass screen. On my right two figures stood in a doorway, silhouetted by the curtains that wrapped around my bed and beside me stood an eager Natalia holding a gown in sage green and gold. The deep cherry wood vanity lay beside her and my reflection startled me. I looked in many ways the same, but something was off and I couldn’t place it. The horrible choir bellowed on in my head and I called out immediately, “Please can you turn that music off?” No one spoke. It all looked like a movie. It </span><span class="s2">was</span><span class="s1"> a movie, playing out before and I felt drunk.<br/>
     “But there is no music,” I could hear a man in the doorway say. And yet it was still there, humming through my head.<br/>
</span>     “You’ve drugged me” I realized out loud, now looking for the glass somewhere in the room for a clue.<br/>
    “No! I love you, I wouldn’t manipulate you so!” Cried Natalia, and stepped forward but I leaned back from her.<br/>
    “Quite.” Scoffed the tallest figure from the doorway as she left for some unseen corner of the house.<br/>
    “My dear, I am going to make you the greatest there is. Don’t you remember? Your art! Your music!” Her voice carried on the air like a song, it harmonized with the humming choir in my mind. It was as if I was given permission to look back and suddenly it came to me-<br/>
<br/>
</p><hr/>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br/>
     </span>I was walking through the shelves of the library. It was late at night and I could hear the last call announcement over the intercom.<br/>
</span>     A couple stood over a table of newspaper archives nearby with their backs to me, and as I passed I could feel their eyes watching me; we were the only three people in the room. A bad gut feeling crept over me and I was compelled to run the rest of my way out of hall. “Will you help us?” Called Natalia, though she was a stranger to me then. I fought every instinct and turned slowly.<br/>
   “Yeah, what’s up?” I asked looking now at the two of them. She stood taller, a smile now curved on her lips. She wore a beige pant suit with a deep burgundy silk scarf around her neck. He stood slightly taller, taller even still when I approached and realized he was well over 6 feet. He was in a suit and tie, though his jacket lay on the chair behind him, his shirt sleeves were rolled up, and his tie loosened. He wore small wire rimmed sunglasses and his dirty blonde hair looked thoroughly ruffled.  At hardly 30 they looked almost too young to be dressed so well and I felt myself comparing their style to my own worn down tennis shoes, ripped jeans, and grey sweatshirt.<br/>
   “We’ve been invited to an event this evening but we obviously aren’t from here” said the man, his accent like a smooth whiskey. “We’ve lost track of time and any direction on how to find it would be much obliged,” I looked over all the yellowed newspapers on the table and set the books I was holding down to free my hands. I retrieved my phone from my pocket trying to hide my annoyance. <em>What was wrong with these people? Couldn’t they just look up a map online?<br/>
</em>     “I mean, I can try and look it up for you” I said pulling open an app on my phone. “What’s the address?” Natalia pulled an envelope out of the breast pocket of her blazer. I looked over my shoulder towards the exit hoping we weren’t going to keep them open too late. When I looked back she was right next to me, staring into my eyes.<br/>
<span class="s1">     “Have you been?” She asked me. Startled, I couldn’t look away. “Been where?” And she held up the book I laid down: </span><em><span class="s2">Paintings of Versailles.<br/>
</span></em><span class="s1">   “Oh. No.” I said flatly, allowing myself to blink. Who had? No one in my class at least. Her smile widened, “I have” I looked back to the man, unsure how to respond. I was scared and embarrassed, I felt my body freeze.<br/>
</span>     “You should come,” he said, turning to put his jacket back on. I saw him pocket a folded archive despite the library policy. All archive materials weren’t to be checked out-<br/>
    “Oh how wonderful of an idea, it’s a party you know?!” Natalia placed her hand on my shoulder. “Fine art, fine wine, live music” she trailed off in a dreamy way, it felt as if she were singing to me...</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The next thing I knew we were walking the cobblestone streets of old Ashland. The neighborhood sat on the hill of our city. It’s historical community comprised of large refurbished mansions that belonged to the settlers of noble Englishmen who emigrated to America in hopes of expanding their income in the early 1800’s. No one I knew could afford a home up here but then again, I didn’t know many people in Ashland. The town sat on border between Virginia and West Virginia. It was small and often overlooked as tourists preferred to stay closer to the interstate that led to the national parks in the area. It felt a bit like a city frozen in time, even more so on a night like this where the moon shone on the wet cobblestones below our feet. “Landon you’ll have to cheer Idris up when we arrive” said Natalia as we walked together through a gate on the road. It led up to a gorgeous Victorian gothic styled home, wrapped in a stone wall with a fountain courtyard.<br/>
</span> <span class="s1">“Bah,” he dismissed “perhaps our new guest here can do that for us.”<br/>
</span> <span class="s1">“She’s not much of a partier, I’m afraid,” Natalia explained to me. “My dear, I have forgotten to ask!” She stopped walking and turned to hold my hands. It felt warm, as if an old friend were holding me close. “Your name.”</span> <span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space">     <br/>
</span>     “Claudia,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why I lied. She grinned “You’re more French than me!” She joked and hooked her arm in mine as we walked to the front door. I laughed nervously and kept on walking.</span></p>
<p class="p1">     When we arrived the door was unlocked, and without knocking Landon opened the door. I stepped in and Natalia entered behind me as I took in the sight of the home. In the sitting room off to the side there was a quartet of string players. All of the lights seemed to be candle lit and on the entry table a tray of champagne waited. Guests of all types lingered in corners chatting, a group of women stood in front of a painting over the main room fireplace. It was a sight to behold, a secret world in a small town I had long written off.<br/>
    “Ah Idris my dear, I hope you don’t mind we’ve brought a guest!” Called Natalia. A tall woman in a black dress approached with a glass of red wine in her hands. She leaned down almost too low to receive Natalia’s kiss on her cheek and then turned to look at me. Her black hair was smartly arranged into a neat classic bun and her dress had a modest and classic silhouette. I looked up at her to find she was as tall as Landon, with the same milky alabaster skin that almost glowed in the candlelight. Her cheekbones were high and angular and her brows thin and pulled upward mimicking the angle of her large long ears. Our eyes met and I felt pulled into the black holes that lived there. I felt her presence in the pit of my stomach and saliva pooled in my mouth as I could feel the signs of nausea forming.<br/>
<span class="s1">     “Not at all, it was expected” her voice crackled like a warm fire, “especially with </span><span class="s2">you</span><span class="s1"> in town” she smirked at Natalia. There was a sting to her tone that made me think it were really Natalia hosting this soirée. Why was no one reacting? None of this was normal and this woman was clearly an alien. Despite her beauty every hair stood on the back of my neck and I could feel my heart rate rising the longer I stood there. I looked at Landon to gauge my reaction but he was removing his coat and glasses and turned to face me with the same shadowy black eyes. I grabbed my stomach, and gagged. Natalia laughed and it sounded like bells accompanying the music.<br/>
</span>     “Have a drink,” she sang and handed me a glass. I don’t know why but everything made sense again. I knew these people and I was their guest. Of course I’d have a drink. And I did. The rest was a blur. Polite conversation and classical music decorating the night. Women in gowns and men with cigars looking over books in the study. At one point I was in bed with Natalia and she was dressing me, at another I was walking through the cobblestone streets at dawn collecting flowers from the garden to place on the table for breakfast...<br/>
<br/>
</p><hr/>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br/>
     </span></span>I began to cry. “Oh darling, it’s not so bad!” His voice broke my concentration. “Though what a vision she is, even now” said Landon.<br/>
     “Not like your Idris” remarked Natalia, “though in its own way I think it may prove quite useful.” Something in me snapped.<br/>
    “Stop talking like I’m not right here!” I stormed from the bed to the vanity, pushing Natalia aside as I passed her.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I tried to make it easy...” she sounded like a chastised child. I looked in the mirror where I stood in a linen nightgown, my braided hair hanging over my shoulder, and thin streams of blood trailed from my eyes. “Your hair, your nails..” her voice trailed off. “We fixed it all first. You have no idea how lucky you are for that...” I didn’t know, but I didn’t care. Something in me knew. This woman killed me. She took all of me, and it was done. I was dead. Worse still; undead. A monster. And at the mercy of strangers in my unlife. The empty glass sat on the vanity, the sticky remnants of blood left pooled at the bottom. I turned to face her, Landon looking on from behind her until finally I gave in and asked, “What happens next?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! This is my first work of writing in almost ten years and I usually am more I to writing poetry. I recently started a creative writing class and decided to tie that into my new favorite interest: Vampire the Masquerade.</p>
<p>I haven’t played with a group and I’m just starting so I imagine the lore won’t be perfect, but hopefully the more I get into it the easier it’ll be and for now I’m working with a fictional location and all OC’s to give myself a little freedom. </p>
<p>I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I already have Chapter 3 mostly done so hopefully there will be plenty more for you to catch up on!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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